Archive for February 24, 2018

It has been a cold week here in Madrona. And while Spring may be around the corner, but it looks we are in for a few more snowflakes before it comes. Fortunately we have plenty of wine to keep us warm.

Saturday we are trucking in New Releases of Animale all the way from Upper Ballard. Winemaker Matt Gubitosa will be with us showing off his wines. We are long time Animale fans here at the shop and we are looking forward to trying the new arrivals. 2014 Pinot Noir $282014 Cabernet Franc $252014 Cabernet Sauvignon $262014 Reserve Petite Sirah $26

Sunday we are going farther afield and pouring two tasty value wines – a South African Chenin and a Vranec from Macedonia.2014 Leopards Leap Chenin Blanc $8The interesting combination of herbal and fruit aromas underlined by a bold acidity makes this wine a versatile food wine and an easy sipper.2015 Jordanov Vranec $12From Macedonia, the Jordanov is expressive and vibrant on the palate. Rich dark blackberry and tobacco aromas lead to a long, smooth finish. Pair it with grilled meats, prime rib, or just drink it by itself. 13% alcohol by volume

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

This Saturday Matt Gubitosa will be with us showing off the new vintage of his wines. We are long-time Animale fans here at the shop and we are looking forward to trying the new arrivals. Come & join us.

2014 was the first warmer, but not hot vintage, after four straight cool-weather vintages here in the Northwest. These new wines are bold, yet balanced, nuanced and complex; they exhibit distinctive varietal character, pair very nicely with flavorful cuisine, will age effortlessly, and promise a distinctive wine-drinking experience.

2014 Cabernet Franc $2595% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet SauvignonMcIntire Vineyard, Sunnyside A full-bodied wine, of medium purple-garnet color; featuring aromas of dried blueberries with hints of baking spice, pimento, incense, and sassafras; flavors of cherries, blueberries, and plums, with nuanced hints of eucalyptus, licorice, anise, and mint tea. The finish is long and powerful, with balanced acidity and firm tannins; enjoyable now, but will age gracefully for years to come.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

The 2013 Barolos from Schiavenza just hit town along with great reviews for the vintage. The only problem is that you need to cellar them for a few years for them to fully develop. By that time, they will long be gone. Let us know if you want a few for the cellar. We are offering a 15% discount on 12 or more mix or match.

Schiavenza is located in Serralunga d’Alba in the heart of Piedmont’s Langhe district, celebrated for its great Barolo vineyards. Their holdings include 9.2 hectares in Serralunga with a small 0.5ha plot in Monforte d’Alba, and include the heralded crus Prapò, Cerretta, and Broglio. In the vineyard, they do not use pesticides or herbicides. Harvest is manual and is conducted according to the phases of the moon. In the cellar, they use only naturally occurring yeasts, and ferment the wines in cement cisterns. In terms of aging, this is no modern barrique-aged Barolo estate: the wines here are aged for extended period of time in the traditional large Slovenian barrels called botti. The quality here is shockingly good. Schiavenza’s wines are elegant, pure expressions of Nebbiolo.

2013 Schiavenza Broglio $5095 points Wine SpectatorMint and menthol top notes give way to cherry, plum, leather, and tobacco flavors as this red unfolds on the palate. Tightly wound and dense, showing excellent harmony overall, but will likely develop at a glacial pace. Best from 2022 through 2043. BS (12/2017)

2013 Schiavenza Bricco Cerretta $5594pts Wine SpecatorRose, cherry, plum and spice flavors languish effortlessly in this deceptively solid red. The beefy tannins take over midway as this unfolds, yet the lasting impression is balanced, revealing tobacco and underbrush notes. Best from 2022 to 2042.

2013 Schiavenza “Prapò” Barolo $6097 points Wine SpectatorAn aromatic style of Barolo, laced with cherry, plum, leather and cigar aromas and flavors. There is plenty of sweet fruit, flesh and a dense matrix of tannins, echoing tobacco notes and picking up a mineral edge on the long aftertaste. Very complex and fresh. drink 2022 to 2040 (BS) (11/2017)

The weather forecast looks like Rain and Wind and Cold and maybe Snow on Sunday here in Madrona. But this is Seattle so who know how it will turn out. No matter what the weather, we’ll be basking in Sunny Spanish Wines all weekend.

Fresh aromas of apple and pineapple with subtle white floral characters. Fresh, fruity and lasting finish, a great balance between fruit and acidity in the mouth.2011 Vina Bujanda Rioja Reserva $15TempranilloA great price on a Reserva this wine shows deep, spicy aromas of blueberries, leather, mocha and cacao. On the palate, orange marmalade with fir under growth and Bing cherry. Was $22 now $15

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

This Saturday we are savoring some flavor packed wines from Rioja, Utiel-Requena, Ribera del Duero and Priorat. These full-bodied wines fill the glass and the mouth with lingering pleasure. Come have a taste.

2014 CVNE Monopole Bianco $13100% Viura.CVNE’s reds have long been a standard in Rioja, but there entry white is a great value. All grapes come from the Rioja Alta, where higher altitudes and Atlantic influences make for a moderate climate which is ideal for producing wines of elegance and finesse. Soils are composed of iron-rich clay and limestone. This wine is aged in tank and bottled in January to preserve freshness and fruit. This white is fresh and bright with a firm backbone of crisp acidity that carries pear, McIntosh apple and verbena flavors and a juicy, floral finish.

2015 Vera de Estenas, Bobal $12Founded in 1945 Vera de Estenas is situated at 800m elevation near the mouth of the Estenas river near the foot of the Sierra del Remedio Mountains in the heart of Utiel-Requena. Summer brings scorching heat, but a cooling wind called the Solano brings relief, and nighttime temperatures can drop substantially due to the high elevation, helping to preserve acidity in the grapes. This Bobal comes from 50 years old vines. It shows a mix of bright black and red fruits, spice, and minerals. The traditional pairing is Gazpacho Manchego, and Valencian paella made with rabbit or chicken, and snails.

2016 Pago de los Capellanes Ribera del Duero Joven Robles $17TempranilloPago de los Capellanes is located near the village of Pedrosa de Duero, deep in the heart of the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. The Joven Roble is a oak aged young wine with strong black fruit, vanilla, coffee and spicy undertones. Medium bodied, fresh and fruity. Light tannins, elegant and excellent acidity.

2013 Abadia Retueerta, Sardon se Duero $3175% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% SyrahThis winemaker use to work for Vega Sicillia until he spun off on his own. This Duero red has an intense, mature nose with mineral aromas that give way to black fruit, such as blackberry and blackcurrant. The wine has hints of licorice, redcurrant and cherries in liqueur on a backdrop of dark chocolate.

2014 Clos Figueras, Serras del Priorat $25Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah and Cabernet SauvignonLocated on the schistuous slopes of Gratallops, a terroir responsible for the finest wines of Priorat, this second label from Figueras has focused flavors of cherry, berry, vanilla and mountain herb that mingle over light tannins, refreshed by bright acidity. The wine is not muscular but has good energy.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5

It looks like the grey is parting (at least for a little bit) here in Madrona. Mardi Gras is here, closely followed by Valentine’s day. You are going to need a little wine to go with. It is a good weekend to get out stretch the legs and stop by the wine shop to see what’s pouring.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5

This Saturday we are featuring wines from the northeast of Italy in Colli Orientali del Friuli and Valpolicella. Colli Orientali is known for its outstanding whites and Valpolicella for its Amarone. Imported importer Fulvio Longo will be on hand to show off these fantastic wines.

2016 Colutta, Pinot Grigio $20The Colutta Farm – “Bandut” is named after an ancient piece of land bought by Antonio Colutta in the early 1900s, which now belongs to Giorgio Colutta. Colli Orientali vineyards are influenced by the breeze from the Adriatic. This Pinot Grigio has effusive aromas of apple blossoms and quince with underpinnings of bitter almonds. It is intense with rich and refreshing flavors.

2016 Mauro Maschi, Veneto Merlot $11The Maschi is a distinct expression on Merlot from the Northeast of Italy –and it is at a great price.

2014 Ca Salgari, Valpolicella Classico Superiore D.O.C. Ripasso Vajoi $24Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Rondinella and CroatinaThe Salgari family’s wine making dates back to 1840, when Luigi Antonio built his manor house with an underground cellar. It has a historic rural courtyard surrounded by centuries-old cypress trees and is located in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico area in the Negrar valley. In February, the Valpolicella Superiore undergoes a light maceration and re-fermentation, mixed with skins and seeds remaining after the first fermentation of Recioto and Amarone to become Ripasso. The wine is then aged at least 12 months in oak casks. This Ripasso has a rich range of fragrances with persistent notes of ripe red fruits, tobacco, spices and light vanilla. It is warm, soft and embracing, with elegant tannins, and a well-balanced structure.

2013 Ca Salgari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico D.O.C.G $38Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Rondinella and CroatinaIn September the grapes for this Amaorne are manually harvested, and the best ones are placed in small wooden trays and left to dry for at least 4 months. During this period of natural drying, called appassimento, the grapes lose about 40% of their weight, developing larval forms of noble rot such as botrytis cinerea. This mold naturally contributes to the increase of glycerol concentration, giving a softness and characteristic aroma to this great wine. A soft pressing and slow fermentation at low winter temperatures follows. The wine has an intense and complex bouquet of red flowers and fruitiness including notes of cocoa and vanilla.

Petrizzelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mono Cultivate $18The Petrizzelli is ade exclusively from the Coratina Olive a very small, low yielding varietal that rewards those who have the patience to work with it. Come taste it.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5

Globetrotting is on the schedule for the weekend here at Madrona Wine. So grab your umbrella, head to the shop and come along.

Saturday, we have a full Albariño from Spain, a dark Merlot from Chile, a new juicy Bordeaux from France, a concentrated Syrah for South Africa and a big shouldered Sangiovese from Tuscany.2015 Sin PalaBRAS, CastRoValdES $182012 Tres Palacios, Family Vintage Merlot $152015 Château Guillou, Montagne St. Emilion $152011 La Motte, Syrah $152009 Cacchiano Chianti Classico Millenio $24

Sunday we are turning the world upside down and sampling two Southern Hemisphere wines — Peruvian Chardonnay and Australian Petite Sirah. Come shift your axis with us all day, opening at 11am, closing at 5pm. 2015 Intipalka Chardonnay $12A Peruvian Chardonnay with tropical fruit aromas. It is rounded on the palate, fresh with balanced natural acidity. Medium-bodied and a long finish. 13.5% alcohol by volume. Was $15 now $12

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5

Value is where you find it. This Saturday we’ll be showing off some great values that we have found from around the globe. We have a full Albariño from Spain, a dark Carminere from Chile, a new juicy Brodeaux from France, a concentrated Syrah for South Africa and a big shouldered Sangiovese from Tuscany. All of them are a lot of wine for the money. Come taste for yourself.

2012 Tres Palacios, Family Vintage Carmenere $15The Family vintage is from select blocks of Palacios estate vineyards. The yields are kept low to achieve strength and fruit concentration. This is a good example of serious Carmenere from Chile with aromas of blackberries and plum with graphite and coal on a masculine nose. The fruit is solid and ripe, with black cherry and chocolate with soft tannins and rich complexity.

2011 La Motte, Syrah $1595% Syrah, 5% GrenacheFrom the Franschhoek Valley in South Africa’s Cape winelands, the La Motte Syrah tastes of dark berries and cloves. The finish is long and features clear oak notes.Was $25 now $15

2009 Cacchiano Chianti Classico Millenio – $24100% SangioveseThis is the big wine from a very old estate winery in Chianti. The Millenio is made only in the best years and ages for 5 years before release. Juicy and powerfully structured, this vibrant red boasts aromas of underbrush, game and mature plum. The palate offers cherry marinated in spirits, juicy raspberry, white pepper, clove, tobacco and licorice alongside firm, velvety tannins.Was $38 now $24

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5